Signaling system



Dec. 28 1926.

Q i. Q Q

. 1,612,147 H. W. ONEILL SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F71 TEE I MPL/F/ERS Dec. 28 1926.

H.VV.C)WVEILL SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w N 0) m VW m w in m a Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O'NEILL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed November 20, 1922. Serial No. 601,952.

This invention relates to improved means for signaling over transmission lines and 1s particularly applicable to transmission lines composited for simultaneous telephony and 5 telegraphy.

The principal objectof this inventlon 1s to improve two-way signaling over a long transmission line.

In accordance with the foregoing and other obiects of this invention. a system is provided wherein currents of diiferent and relatively high frequencies are superimposed on one another to selectively actuate cooperating means at either end of a long transmission line and actuate the signaling means thereat. Inductive effects and surges that may be present on the composited line will therefore not interfere with the proper functioning of the signaling means.

One feature of this invention resides in the control of signaling apparatus in a composited system over the sleeve conductor of the line.

Another feature is embodied in the provision in such a system of a plurality of high speed alternating current relays which are selectively responsive to currents of difi erent relatively high frequencies cooperating with one another to control the application of ringing frequency current to the line.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of means normally bridged across the line and respectively responsive to currents from either end of the line to control current supplying means which is effective in actuating the signaling apparatus.

A. further feature of this invention resides in the provision of high speed means to apply suitable signaling currentto' the line 40 and to prevent low frequency currents from reaching the line.

The invention will be readily understood from-the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawings in.

which Fig. 1 shows a transmission line terminating at suitable switching. points, while Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention.

In the following description, it will be assumed that the key 100 iscontrolled by an operator at a station designated by A and t at the key 150 is controlled by an operator at a station designated by B, and further,

that the operator at A desires to signal the operator at B.

The operator at A inserts plug'101 into jack 102 and. in so doing, disconnects the operating winding of the signal 103 from the tip and ring conductors of the line, and then actuates the-key 100, whereupon a circuit is established from ground, through the winding of relay 104. sleeve conductor 105. sleeve contacts of iack 102 and plug 101, and thence to ground through the contacts of key 100 and battery 106. Relay 104 operates in this circuit and connects at its armatures and front contacts the alternating current sources 107 and 108 which, for descriptive purposes, will he assumed to be 1300 and 1700 cycles, respectively, to the tip and ring conductors of the transmission line C.

At the distant end of the line C, alternating current high speed relays 109, 110 and 111 are connected in series and are bridged across the tip and ring conductors of the line. The relay 109 is tuned to respond to alternating current of a frequency of 1300 cycles, relay 110 to current of a frequency, of 1700 cycles and relay 111 to a current of another frequency. such as 16 cycles.

Upon the operation of relay 104;, a circuit is established which may be traced from the source 107, inner armature and front contact of relay 104e, ring conductor 112 of the line C, lower armature and back contact-of relay 113, conductor 114:, through the windings of relays 109, 110 and 111, conductor 115, upper armature and back contact of relay 113, tip conductor 116 of the line C, outer armature and front contact of relay 104. and thence W back through the source 108 to the other terminal of source 107.

Relays 109. 110 and 111 are of the acceleration type and may be of the particular type disclosed in Patent No. 1,607,910, granted to W Henry W. ONeill, November 23, 1926.

Relays 109 and 110 being respectively responsive to currents of 1300 and 1700 cycle frequencies, operate, whereas relay 111 remains unoperated.

It is to be noted that the winding of switching relay 117 is normally shunted by the contacts of the relays 109 and 110 and that a complete electrical circuit normally exists from ground, through battery 119, resistance element 118, conductor 120, and then in parallel throu h the circuit controlling elements 121 an 122 which are loosely mounted on the armatures of relays 109 and 110, respectively, to ground.

Relays 109 and 110, upon energizing, in the circuit previously traced, interrupt the circuits through the contacts 121 and 122, thereby removing the shunt from relay 117 and permittin relay 117 to operate in a circuit traced roin ground through battery 119, resistance element 118, and thence to ground through the winding of relay 117.

Relay 117 upon energization disconnects the line from the signal 125 at its armatures and back contacts and at its front contacts connects the 16-cycle current source 123 through the tip and ring cut-oil contacts of jack 124 to operate the signal 125, which informs the operator at B that there is a call awaiting her attention.

Upon noting the operation of signal 125, the operator at station E proceeds to answer the call in a well known manner by inserting plug 126 in jack 124.

It is desirable to avoid applications of ringing or low frequency signaling currents to a line circuit which may be equipped for superposed telegraph working, due to interference effects which may thereby be set up in the telegraph receiving devices. In

signaling from the point A, this is entirely met by absence of ringing current at the key 100 which merely applies battery current over the sleeve conductors of theconnection for the control ofthe relay 104 in connecting signaling currents of high frequencies only to the line conductors. frequency of-these currents is sutliciently high to entirely avoid interference with the telegraph devices assumed as present on the line. The cut-0d contacts of the key 100 disconnect the main conductors in excluding the signaling currents from equipment (not shown) which may be considered as present at the left-hand side of the key 100.

In originating a call the operator at B inserts the plug 126 into jack 124 and operates the key 150 with which the 16-cyclc current source 127 is associated. Upon the insertion of plug 126 into jack 124 the winding of the signal 125 is disconnected from the tip and ring contacts of jack 124. A circuit is established which may be traced from the source 127, through the lower alternate contact of key 150, ring contacts of plug 126 and jack 124, the lower armature and back contact of relay 117, conductor 114, through the windings of relays 109, 110 and 111, conductor 115, upper armature and backcontacts of relay 117, tip contacts of jack 124 and plug 126, and thence to ground at the upper alternate contact of key 150. Relays 109 and 110, being responsive respectively to currents of 1300 and The 1700 cycles, donot operate .in this circuit, whereas relay 111, which is tuned to respond to application of 16-cyclc current now energizes.

As described in connection with relay 117, it will be noted that relay 113 is shunted by the contacts 140 of the relay 111 and that a complete electrical circuit normally exists from ground through battery'129, resistance element 128, conductor 130, and thence to ground through the contacts 140 of relay 111. Relay 111, in operating, interrupts the circuit just traced thereby removing the shunt from the winding of relay 113, whereupon this relay. energizes in a circuit extending from grounded battery 129, through the resistance element 128, and thence to vground through the winding of relay 113. 7

Relay 113 in operating connects the high frequency sources 131 and 132 which are connected in series, to the tip and ring conductors 116 and 112 of line C whereupon a circuit is established extending from the sources 131 and 132 over the armatures and front contacts of relay 113, line conductors 116 and 112 of line C, the armatures and back contacts of relay 104, conductors 133 and 134, and thence in parallel through the filter amplifiers X and Y, which are adapted to respectively pass these frequencies, to the windings of relays 135 and 136: Relays 135 and 136 thereupon operate. The filter amplifiers X and Y may be of any of the well known types and their functions and operations are well known and need not be described here.

It will be noted that the switching relay (Ill Nil

137 is normally operated over a circuit exmatures and back contacts of relays and 136. Relays 135 and 136 upon energizing in the circuit previously traced interrupt the energizing circuit for relay 137 permitting this relay'to retract its armatures and connect the 16-cycle current source 139 to the tip and ring contacts of jack 102 to actuate the signal 103. The operator at 11, upon noting the signal, answers the call in the usual manner.

In meeting the requirement relative to non-inclusion of low frequency or ringing current with the line C when signaling from the point B, advantage is taken of the quick response characteristics of the acceleration type relay lll'and also to the further phenomenon that a magnet will energize much more quickly on removal of a shunt from its winding, than when the circuit of the 'inagnet may be closed through any contact device. The latter feature is applied by provision of the resistance 128 to permit the contacts 140 of the relay 111 to normally shunt. the winding of the relay 113. There fore, substantially the first half wave of current from the source 127 when applied through the key 150 effects translation to cause the relay 113 to switch the conductors of the line C from the jack 124 to receive high frequency current from the sources 131 and 132. This suiiiciently excludes the low frequency currents from the line C.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the operation of the circuit disclosed thereby is as follows:

Assuming that the operator at D desires to signal an operator at E over the transmission line F, she inserts plug 201 into the jack 202 and actuates key 200. The insertion of the plug 201 into jack 202 disconnects the windings of the signal 203 from the tip and ring contacts thereof and in actuating key 200, a circuit is established which may be traced from the 16-cyele current source 204, lower alternate contact of key 200, the ring contacts of plug 201 and jack 202, the lower armature and back con tact of relay 205, the lower left-hand winding of repeatin coil 206, conductor 20'? through the win ing of the alternating current high speed relay 208, conductor 209, theupper left-hand winding of repeating coil. 206, the upper armature and back contact of relay 205, the tip contacts of jack 202 and plug 201, and thence to ground through the upper alternate contact of key 200.

The switching relay 210 is normally energized over a circuit extending from grounded battery through the winding of relay 210, conductor 211, and thence to ground through the circuit controlling element 212 which is mounted on the armature of relay 208. Relay 208 in energizing in the circuit previously traced interrupts this energizing circuit for relay 210 and permits retraction of armatures of the latter relay. At its lowermost and middle armatures and back contacts, relay 210 connects the conductors 213 and 214 which are adapted to be associated with the 1300- cycle ringing current source 215, to the line conductors of the transmission line F, and at its outermost armature and back contact establishes an energizing circuit for relay 216 which may be traced from grounded battery, through the uppermost armature and back contact of relay 210, conductor 217, winding of relay 216, and thence to ground through the brush and live segments of interrupter 218. Relay 216 is intermittently energized in this circuit through the op-.

eration of the interrupter 218 and thereby intermittently connects the 1300-cycle current source 215 to the line conductors of the transmission line F through the conductors 214 and 213.

At the distant end of the transmission line F a high speed relay 219 controls the Upon the intermittent energization of relay 216, relay 219 is energized over a circuit which may be traced from the 1300-cycle source 215, outer armature and front contact of relay 216, conductor 213, lowermost armature and back contact of relay 210, the

ring conductor of the line F, lowermost armature and back contact of relay 224, the lower lett-hand winding of repeating coil 225, conductor 226,. the Winding of relay 219, conductor 227, upper left-hand winding of repeating coil 225, the middle armature and back contact of relay 224, the tip conductor of line F, middle armature and back contact of relay 210, conductor 214, inner armature and front contact'of relay 216 to the 1300-cycle source 215. Relay 219 is energized in this circuit and upon the vibration of its armature interrupts the normally existing circuit including the resistance elen'ient 237, whereupon relay 239 be comes energized. It will be noted that relay 241 is normally energized over a eircuit extending from grounded battery through resistance element 240 and thence to ground through the winding of relay 2&1. The energization of rela 239 as above described, shunts relay 241 w iereupon a circuit is es tablished extending from grounded battery, through the winding of relay 220, conductor 223 and thence to ground through the back contact and armature of relay 241. Relay 220 upon energization disconnects the line from the signal 230 at its armature and back contacts and at its front contacts connects the 16-cycle current source 228 to the tip and ring contacts of jack 229 to operate the signal 230 associated therewith.

Upon noting the operation of signal 230 7 the operator at E proceeds to answer the call as before,

In order to describe the signaling operation over the transmission line F in the opposite direction, it will now be assumed that the operator at E desires to signal the operator at D. The plug 231 is inserted in jack 229 and key 250 is actuated. The insertion of plug 231 into jack 229 removes the windings. of signal 230 from the tip and ring contacts of jack 229 and b the actuation of key 250. a circuit is estab ished which may be traced from the 16-cycle current source 232, the lower alternate contact of .cuit controlling element 236 to vibrate cuit extending whereupon the normally completed circuit extending from grounded battery through the resistance element 280, conductor 281, and. thence. to ground through the circuit controlling element 236, is interrupted,

thereby removing the shunt from relay. 224' and permitting this relay to operate in a circuit extending from grounded battery, resistance element 280, conductor 242, thence to ground through the winding of relay 224.

Relay 224, in operating, establishes a cirfrom grounded battery through the uppermost armature and front contact of relay 224, conductor 243, winding of .relay 244, and thence to ground through the brush and live segments of interrupter 245.. At its innermost armatures and front contact, relay 244 connects the conductors 246 and 247 which are normally associated with the 17 OO-cycle current source 248 to the tip and ring conductors of the transmission line F. By the intermittent operation of relay '244, through the interrupter 245, the 1700 and 1300-cycle sources 248 and 249, respectively, are alternately applied to the line F to actuate high speed relays 270 and 251 over a circuit including the conductors 246 and 247, the innermost and middle armaturesv and front contacts of relay 224, the

line conductors of the line F, the middle and lowermost armatures and front contacts of normally operated relay 210, conductors 252 and 253' and thence in parallel through the windings of relays 270 and 251. Relays 27 0 and 251 are respectively responsive to alternating current frequencies of 1700 and 1300 cycles.

It willbe noted that one winding of polarized relay255 is normally shunted by the circuit from the resistance element 256 I 255, being intermittently actuated, alterthrough the circuit controlling element 257 of relay 270 and the other winding is normally shunted by the circuit from resistance element 258 through the circuit controlling element 259 of relay 251.

Relays 270 and 251 are intermittently operated in the circuit previously traced, thereby alternately removing the shunts to permit the windings of relay 255 to be alternately energized. The armature of relay natelv connects ground and battery to the winding of relay 282 and the condenser 260,

nating current relay 282. Relay 282 thereupon energizes and establishes a circuit extendingfrom grounded battery through the winding ofrelay 205, conductor 261, and thence to ground through the armature and front contact of relay 282. Preferably the relay 282 should have a natural period corresponding with the changes produced by the distant interrupter 245.

Relay 205 on energizing connects the 16- cycle current source 262 to the tip and ring contacts of jack 202 to actuate the signal 203 associated therewith.

Upon noting the operation of signal 203, the operator at l) proceeds to answer the call in the usual manner.

What is claimed is:

1. In a signaling system, a transmission line, a plurality of alternating current sources, means for simultaneously applying currents from said sources to the line, a bridge across the line comprising means responsive respectively to said simultaneously applied current from said sources, and current supplying means including a source of current and a, relay, said relay being con trolled by said responsive means to apply current from said source to said line.

2. In a signaling system, a transmission .line having a sending and receiving station at each end thereof, a plurality of alternating current sources, means at both stations each means independent of the other being adapted to apply currents from said sources simultaneously to the line, a si nal at each station, and a bridge across the ine at each station comprising means responsive to simultaneously applied currents from the sources at the sending station at one end of the line to actuate the signal at the receiving station at the other 'end of the line.

3. In a signaling system, a transmission means including a source of current and a relay, said relay being controlled by said responsive means to apply current from said last mentioned source to said line.

4. In a signaling system, a transmission line, a plurality of alternating current sources, means for simultaneously'applying currents from said sources to the line, a high impedance bridge across the line comprising means independently responsive to the respective currents from said sources and connected in a serial relation to each other in said bridge, and current supplying means includin a source of current and a relay, said relay eing controlled by said responsive retain-r the ins at either one or the other end there-- of, means at both ends of the line each responsive to said simultaneously applied currents from the opposite end of the line, and signaling means at both ends of said line each adapted to be actuated by the corresponding responsive means. I

6. In a signaling system, a transmission line, a plurality of sources of alternating current of difl'erent frequencies, means :ior simultaneously applying currents from said sources to said line, means responsive to said currents comprising a relay responsive to each of said currents, and a signaling means including a si 'naling current source and a relay, said re ay being responsive to the simultaneous operation of said relays to ap:

ply current from said signaling current source to said line.

7. In a signaling system, a transmission line, a plurality of sources of alternating current of diderent frequencies, a switching means, means actuated loy said switching means to simultaneously ap ly currents from said sources to said line, and signaling means includinga si aling current source and a relay, said re ay being responsive to the simultaneous ap lication of said alternating currents to app y current from said signaling current source to said line.

8. In a signaling system, a transmission line, sources of current of dillerent characteristics, a corresponding plurality of selectively responsive means and signaling means including a source of signaling current and a relay, said relay being under the joint'control or" said means for applying signaling current to said line.

9. In a signaling system, a transmission line, sources of current or diflerent characteristics, a plurality of high speed relays selectively responsive to said currents and signaling means including a source of signaling current and a rela said relay losing under the joint control 0 said relays to apply current from said signaling current source to said line.

10. In a signalingsystem, a transmission line, sources of current of difierent characteristics, a corresponding plurality of high speed relays. selectively responsive to said currents, a source of current of another different characteristic, a relay responsive to a current from said last mentioned source, a source of signaling current under control of said relay and means under the joint control of said high s eed relays for applying current from sai second mentioned source for the control of said last relay to apply current s stem, a transmission from the signaling current source to the line,

11. In a signaling system, a source of low frequency alternating current, a transmis sion line, a plurality or alternating current sources of difi'erent firequencies, switching means for simultaneously applying currents from said alternating current sources of ditrr'erent frequencies to the line, and high speed relay means responsive to said low lirequency current to control said switching connection t ereto of said low irequency source,

13.. In a signaling system, a transmission line, sources of high and low frequency currents, switching means, and means simultaneously accelerated by a group oi high frequency currents or by a low frequency current to control said switching means to transfer said line in the first instance from commotion with said group of high frequency current sources into connection with filerent characa low frequency source, and in the second instance from connection with the first mentioned low frequency current source into connection with a second group of high irequency current sources.

14. In a signaling system, a transmission line, one end terminating in tip, ring and sleeve conductors at a sending station and the other end terminating in a receiving station a signal normally connected to the line at t e receiving station, a source of current at the receiving station, and means controlled over the sleeve conductor at the sendmg station to disconnect the signal from the line and to connect said current source to the signal for the operation thereof.

15.. In a signaling system, a transmission line, one end termmating in tip, ring and sleeve conductors at a sending station and the other end in a receiving station, a plurality of sources of audible frequency currents, means controlled over the sleeve conductor of the line to simultaneously connect said current sources to the tip and ring conductors of the line, and means at the receiving station for translating said currents into a signal at the receiving station.

16. In a signaling system, a transmission line, one end termlnatin in tip, ring and sleeve conductors at a sen ing station and the other end in a receiving station, a signal at the receiving station, means controlled over the sleeve conductor of the line to superimpose currents of different characteristics on the tip and, ring conductors of the line, and a plurality of electromagnetic devices selectively responsive to the currents of different characteristics to efiect the operation of the signal atthe reciving station.

17. In a signaling system, a transmission line, a sending station, a receiving station having a signal thereat, a high speecl relay at the sending station having a circuit controllin element, a switching relay normally shunte by said circuit controlling element, sources of high fiequency current of olifierent frequencies, means at said sending station for actuating said high speed relay 1 simultaneously to actuate the signalat the 20 receiving station.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of November A. D,

' HENRY W. ONEILL. 

